Machine for closing the end panels of a closed end tubular type article carrier



M. KATQGIR Oct. 22, 1968 MACHINE FOR CLOSING THE END PANELS OF A CLOSED END TUBULAR TYPE ARTICLE CARRIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 16, 1966 INVENTOR MICHAEL KATOGIR B Km v NM E E K 3 a R 2 E GE 8 mm mm mm ATTORNEY 195.3 M. KATOGIR MACHINE FOR CLOSING THE END PANELJS OF A CLOSED END TUBULAR TYPE ARTICLE CARRIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 16, 1966 mom 8 mo N9 2 r ..I|..||..||||||| I: .Hl l l v9 olw E 2 wdE m T N: 5 8 w 8 8 a a z .5 @Q v /\N a 0.0 on w\.- I u n. w T L ET j. 0. T o. :H o. :q mm 0 mo 0 O O O O Allll o 0 EA 0 o WW m o 0 Al. PO PDO 0 0 o o L mmm m mm B 3/ mm mm 8. h a no 60 0. 4 /r fl mlm 1 \V a \on \on w m aw om mm. 2 8 3 m5 mm INVENTOR. MICHAEL KATOGIR ATTORNEY United States Patent MACHINE FOR CLOSING THE END PANELS OF A CLOSED END TUBULAR TYPE ARTICLE CARRIER Michael Katogir, Atlanta, Ga., assignor to The Mead Corporation, a corporation of Ohio Filed Feb. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 527,867 5 Claims. (Cl. 53285) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE For closing end panels which are foldably joined to the end edges of the side wall of a tubular type article carrier, the carrier is moved along a predetermined path and transversely reciprocable plungers are movably mounted on each side of the path of movement of the carrier. Suitable guides are arranged to engage and impart transverse movement to the plungers whereby the end panels are sequentially folded transversely to closed positions and thereafter secured closed.

This invention relates to a machine and method for manipulating the end panels of a tubular wrap-around type article carrier so as to effect closing and locking of such end panels. The invention is particularly applicable to carriers of the type disclosed and claimed in United States Patent application Ser. No. 407,728 filed Oct. 30, 1964 now Patent No. 3,339,723 issued Sept. 5, 1967 and in US. application Ser. No. 407,779 also filed Oct. 30, 1964 now Patent No. 3,348,671 issued Oct. 4, 1967.

Carriers of the type disclosed and claimed in the aforementioned patent applications are particularly well adapted for formation into a package group by high speed packaging machines of the type, for example as that disclosed in United States Patent.No. 2,751,730 dated June 26, 1956. Where a package of the wrap-around type is formed by wrapping a carrier blank transversely about an article group, it is difiicult to aflix a separate closure element to the ends of the wrapper due to the fact that the package groups are closely spaced one after the other in the machine and, in order to close the ends with a separate closure element, it may be necessary to rotate the carrier so as to expose the ends thereof in a sidewise direction and thereby to condition the package for the application of a separate closure element. Where blanks of the type disclosed in the aforementioned applications are utilized, the end panels are hingedly mounted to the end edges of the side walls of the carrier and hence simply require a closing and locking operation.

A principal object of this invention is to provide an improved method and machine for closing and locking hingedly mounted end panels in a high speed machine where the article carriers are disposed one behind the other in closely spaced relationship and wherein it is not necessary to rotate each package so as to expose the ends thereof to apparatus located alongside the path of movement of the group of articles.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an improved machine and method for quickly and efficiently closing the end panels of a tubular type article carrier by apparatus which is characterized by a high degree of simplicity and efiiciency.

The invention in one form as applied to a packaging machine for forming a wrap-around type carrier about a group of articles comprises a first plunger mounted on one side of the path of movement of the group of articles and disposed in transverse relation thereto for reciprocable operation together with a second plunger mounted on the opposite side of the path of movement of the group 3,406,493 Patented Oct. 22, 1968 of articles and disposed in transverse relationship thereto, the second plunger being arranged not only -to move transversely inward and thereby to engage and fold one end panel of a wrapper following the folding and closing of the other end panel by the first tubular element, but such second plunger element also being rotatably mounted and provided with a transverse finger whereby the last folded end panel is engaged and upon rotation of the second plunger both end panels are forced into locking interrelationship with each other and with a locking notch formed in a part of the wrapper itself. According to a feature of the invention both plungers are movably mounted on suitable means such as a continuous conveyor so that the end panels of an adjacent wrapper may be folded while the package groups are being moved by the packaging machine. Thus according to another feature of the invention, the fixedguides are disposed for engagement with parts of the plunger elements in coordination with the movement thereof along the continuous conveyor and in this way transverse movement is imparted thereto in the desired sequence.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which 'FIG. 1 is a side view of a high speed packaging machine to which this invention has been applied; FIG. 2 is a plan view of the blank having end panels and of the type to which the machine and method of this invention is particularly applicable; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the completed package utilizing the blank depicted in FIG. 2 and showing six primary packages such as capped bottles packaged therein; FIG. 4 is a plan view of a part of the right hand end portion of the machine depicted in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line designated 55 in FIG. 4; and in which FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of one of the plunger elements as depicted on the left hand side of FIG. 5.

With reference to FIG. 1 the numeral 1 designates a transverse frame structure supported on vertical pedestals designated by the numerals 2, 3, 4 and 5. It will be understood that the pedestals 2-5 are mounted at their lower ends on a suitable base structure. A plurality of carrier blanks of the type shown in FIG. 2 and generally designated by the numeral 6 are disposed above the machine in a suitable hopper structure designated by the numeral 7. Primary packages such as the bottles designated by the letter B in FIG. 1 are introduced on a continuous conveyor or otherwise to the left hand end of the machine and proceed toward the right to the formation of a completed package such as is depicted in FIG. 3. During movement through the machine the primary packages B are arranged in a series of groups designated in FIG. 1 at B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B8 and B9.

For the purpose of moving the bottle groups such as B1-B9 from left to right, an endless conveyor 8 is mounted in known manner on rotatable elements 9, 10, 11 and 12 which are supported by suitable shafts aifixed to the frame of the machine in known manner. Secured to the conveyor 8 is a series of flight bars designated by the numeral 13. As is apparent from FIG. 1, the flight bars engage a package group and impart movement thereto toward the right, it being apparent that the conveyor 8 and the rotatable elements on which the conveyor is mounted and which are designated by numerals -9-12 all rotate in a clockwise direction.

In order to withdraw the lowermost one of the blanks from the hopper 7, a suitable reciprocable suction plunger 14 is arranged to engage and draw downwardly such a blank so as to dispose the blank atop the immediately adjacent article group.

Once the lowermost blank 6 is withdrawn from the hopper 7, it must be moved in synchronism with one of the article groups such as B1. To this end, an endless conveyor is suitably mounted in known manner on rotatable element 16, 17, 18 and 19 and moves in a clockwise direction. The blanks 6 are engaged along the trailing edges by suitable hooks mounted on conveyor 15 and designated by the numeral 20. Thus, as the article groups such as B1, B2, etc. move toward the right an associated blank such as 6 is moved atop each group by the action of conveyor -15 and its associated hooks 20 in a manner well known in the art.

Once the particular wrapper 6 is properly oriented with respect to its associated article group such for example B3, suitable hold down mechanism serves to maintain the wrapper securely atop its associated group, Such mechanism is designated in FIG. 1 by the numeral 21 and simply comprises an endless conveyor 22 mounted on rotatable elements 23 and 24 which or course are mounted on shafts journaled in suitable bearings, the shaft for rotatable element 24 being journaled on frame element 3 while the I shaft for rotatable element 23 is appropriately journaled on the boom 21.

For a complete description of the type of blank to which the invention is applicable, reference may be had to the aforementioned patent applications. Briefly described, the blank depicted in FIG. 2 comprises a top panel 25 having finger gripping apertures 26 and 27 and a plurality of apertures 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33 for receiving the necks of the packaged primary articles. Of course, it may be desirable 'to utilize top panel 25 which overlies the crowns of the packaged bottles in which event the apertures 28433 of course would not be used. Sloping panels 34 and 35 are foldably adjoined respectively to the side edges 36 and 37 of the top panel 25 and conform generally with the shoulders of the packaged bottles. Side wall 3-8 is foldably joined to sloping panel 34 along a fold line 39 while a similar side wall 40 is foldably joined to sloping panel 35 along a fold line 41. Another sloping panel 42 is foldably joined to the bottom edge of side wall 38 along fold line 43 and a similar sloping panel 44 is foldably joined to the bottom edge of side wall 40 along fold line 45. Formed in each of the sloping panels is a plurality of apertures 46 and 47 formed respectively in the sloping panels 42 and 44. These apertures are for receiving the lower portions of the packaged items to aid in securing the bottles into a unitary group. The bottom of the wrapper is a composite wall structure comprising the lap panel 48 foldably joined to sloping panel 44 along; a fold line 49 together with a similar lap panel 50 foldably joined to sloping panel 42 along a fold line 51. The wrapper is tightened in known manner by suitable machine elements which enter the tightening apertures 52 and 59 in panel 50 and suitable opposed machine elements disposed in tightening apertures 54 and 55 formed in lap panel 48. The wrapper is secured about the articles group by locking elements 53, 56,57 and 58 formed in lap panel 50 which are driven by machine elements through the openings defined by retaining tabs 60, 61, 62 and 63 formed in lap panel 48. A medial separator panel designated by the numeral 64 is foldably joined to lap panel 48 along a fold line 65. When the package is complete, panel 64 occupies a medial position in the carrier as depicted for example in FIG. 3. A pair of locking notches 66 and 67 are formed in the ends of medial panel 64 for engaging the lowerend edges of the end panels to aid holding the end panels in closed position.

The end panels of the wrapper depicted in FIG. 2 are designated by the numerals 68, 69, 70 and 71. Panel 68 is foldably joined to an end edge of side wall 38 along the fold line 72 while panel 69 is similarly joined to an end edge of side wall 40'along fold line 73. Fold line 74 interconnects end panel 70 with the other end of side wall 38 and a similar fold line 75 foldably joins end panel 71 with an end edge of side wall 40.

For the purpose of interlocking end panel 68 and 69,.

a locking tab 76 is formed along an edge of end panel 69 and is inserted into lockingaperture 77 formed in end panel 68. A similar locking tab 78 is formed along an edge of end panel 71 and is received by a locking aperture 79 formed in end panel 70.

a From the above description, it is apparent that the machine and method of this invention are for the purpose of engaging and folding end panels such as are designated by numerals 68-71 into positions of normal relationship with the side walls 38 and 40 wherein the end panels are closed and also for interlocking the panel 68 with the panel 69 by means of the locking tab 76 and the locking aperture 77. In like fashion, the panels 70 and 71 are interlocked with each other through the agency of locking tab 78 and locking aperture 79. Both end structures are interlocked with the wrapper by means of the locking notches 66 and 67 formed in the medial panel 64.

Once a particular article group such as that designated at- B4 is appropriately assembled and moved toward the right by a flight bar 13 and with an associated wrapper such as 6 disposed atop the bottle group, the bottle group is then in condition for subsequent package formation operations. Thus, as is designated at B5, suitable folding structure which may taken the form of a guide or plow 80 or which might take some other known form, engages a side panel such as 40 and initiates to downward folding thereof. Such folding is substantially complete when the bottle group arrives at the position depicted at B6. Of course, the subsequent folding operations are effected by mechanism not shown and simply eifect inward folding of lap panels such as are designated at 48 and 50 and suitable apparatus is employed to tighten the wrapper and to effect the locking thereof by driving the locking tabs 57-59 through the respective apertures defined by retaining tabs 60-63, the medial panel 64 being vertically disposed upon completion of the formation of the package.

During the stages of completion of the package as are designated for example at B6, B7, B8 and B9, the apparatus and method of this invention may be employed to close and lock the end panels. Thus, the endless conveyor 81 is mounted for clockwise rotation on rotatable elements 82, 83, 84 and 85 which are mounted on suitable shafts supported by bearings which in turn are mounted on the frame of the machine. Suitable plungers constructed according to this invention are arranged in pairs on one side of the machine and are mounted on the conveyor 81. These plungers are designated generally in FIG. 4 by the numerals 86 and 87.

As is best shown in FIG. 4, the plungers 86 and 87 are secured by suitable pins 88 to the endless conveyor 81. On the opposite side of the machine cooperating plungers 89 are secured by pins 90 to the endless conveyor 81A. As is apparent, the plungers 89 cooperate with each pair of plungers '86, 87 disposed on the opposite side of the path of movement of the groups of articles such as BIS-B9.

Each plunger 89 engages the panels such as 68 and 70 and foldably joined on one side of the carrier and effects folding thereof to closed position while the plungers 86, 87 cooperate with the end panels such as 69 and 71 on the opposite side of the carrier. As is apparent from FIG. 4, each plunger 89 performs a closing operation on a trailing panel such as panel 68 of bottle group B7 simultaneously with the folding of a leading end panel such as 70 of the bottle group B6. Also as is apparent from FIG. 4, one of the near side plungers such as 86 engages and closes a leading end panel such for example as 71 while the other plunger such as 87 engages and closes a trailing end panel such as 69.

As is best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each plunger such as 89 comprises a first telescopic element 91 secured by pins 90 to endless conveyor 81A and a second telescopically related element 92 which is reciprocable within the outer telescopic element 91.

In order to effect closing of the end panels of the article carriers, the plunger element such as 92 must move transversely inward. To this end, a fixed cam track 93 is secured to the frame of the machine and is provided with cam groove 94 which in the form shown comprises a pair of upstanding guide tracks 95 and 96 in which a cam follower 97 is disposed. Thus, as the plungers 89 move toward the right as shown in FIG. 4, cam followers 97 respectively ride in the groove 94 defined by the guides 95 and 96. When the point designated by the numeral 98 is reached, the telescopic element 92 begins to move transversely inward and continues to do so until the point 99 is reached. Of course the nose portion 100, which is bevelled as is indicated at 101 and 102, engages the end panels 70 and 68 and forces those panels to approach a position of normal relationship relative to the side wall 38 of the associated two carriers disposed in sequence one behind the other.

Since the end panels such as 68 and 70 must be interrelated by the locking tabs formed on the end panels 69 and 71, it is necessary to fold the panels in sequence. Thus, as is apparent in FIG. 4, panels 68 and 70 are folded somewhat ahead of the folding of the panels 69 and 71.

The folding plunger on the opposite side of the path of movement of the article carriers such for example as that designated generally by the numeral 86 is depicted in an enlarged form in FIG. 6 and is shown to a somewhat smaller scale in FIG. 5. Plunger 86 comprises a pair of telescopically related elements designated respectively by the numerals 103 and 104. Telescopic element 103 is secured by the pins 88 to conveyor 81 and transverse movement is imparted to plunger element 104 by fixed guide structure designated at 105 and secured in any suitable manner to the frame of the machine. As is best shown in FIG. 6, fixed guide 105 is provided with a pair of upstanding guide rails 106 and 107 between which a groove 108 is formed. Thus, groove 108 constitutes a cam track in which the cam follower 109 is disposed. Cam follower 109 is secured by any suitable means to a pedestal 110 which rides in a slot not shown but which is formed in the bottom portion of telescopic element 103. Of course pedestal 110 is secured to a movable with the base element 104A of telescopic element 104.

Thus, as plunger structure 86 arrives at the point designated in FIG. 4 by the numeral 111, transverse inward movement is imparted thereto until the point designated 112 is reached. This movement forces the telescopically related element 104 and a base plate 104A to move inwardly toward the path of movement of the article groups while the telescopic element 103 remains fixed to the endless conveyor 81 and hence moves in a straight line. This relative transverse movement of the telescopically related elements 103 and 104 imparts rotation to the telescopic element 104 about its axis of reciprocation due to the fact that a follower element 113 is secured to telescopic element 104 and rides in a groove 114 a portion of which 115 is in alignment with the axis of the telescopically related elements and a portion of which designated at 115A is generally helically shaped. Thus, as transverse relative axial movement is effected between the elements 103 and 104, rotary motion is imparted to the element 104.

Rotary motion of telescopic element 104 is advantageously utilized by a folding finger 116 and fixed by any suitable means such as nut 117 to the inner end of telescopic element 104.

As is apparent from FIG. 4, transverve movement inwardly of plungers 86 and 87 first swings the panels 69 and 71 toward their closed positions as represented by bottle groups B7 and B8. Once the plungers 86 and 87 arrive at their innermost positions, it is then necessary to cause the locking tabs designated by numerals 76 and 78 to enter their associated locking apertures designated at 77 and 79 respectively. In addition, it is necessary to force the bottom edges of the end panels into locking engagement with the associated locking notches such as 66 and67. To this end rotation of telescopic element 104 and in turn of locking finger 116 forces the end panels into locking engagement as is shown at the trailing end of article group B9 and the leading end of article group B8. When in this position, the end panels of both ends of article group B9 are fully closed and locked and the package is complete. Of course, only the leading end of package group B8 is then complete but the trailing end thereof is thereafter completed when the article group B8 arrives at the position designated B9.

As is apparent from FIG. 4, the plungers on one side of the path of travel of the article groups such as are designated by the numeral 89, are operated in sequence somewhat ahead of the plungers on the opposite side of the path of travel of the article groups, such plungers being designated at 86 and 87. This of course is necessary because of the fact that the panels such as 68 and 70 which are provided with the locking apertures such as 77 and 79 must be placed in a closed position before the panels such as 69 and 71 having the locking tabs such as 76 and 78 are closed.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the end panel folding machine and method of this invention is readily adaptable for application to machines for forming .packages of the wrap-around type and that the advantages which go with closed end packages are thus efiiciently and expeditiously achieved by this invention.

While a particular embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A machine for closing a pair of end panels foldably joined to the corresponding end edges of a pair of oppositely disposed wall panels of a tubular article carrier, said machine comprising a first plunger mounted on one side of the carrier and reoiprocable in a direction generally normal to the planes of said wall panels and engageable with one of said end panels for swinging such end panel from a position of approximately coplanar relationship with the associated wall panel to a position approximately normal thereto and so as partially to close the end of the carrier, a second plunger mounted on the opposite side of the carrier and reciprocable in a direction generally normal to the planes of said wall panels and engageable with the other of said end panels for swinging such end panel from a position of coplanar relationship with the associated wall panel to a position approximately normal thereto, a transverse finger affixed to the panel engaging end of said second plunger, and means for oscillating said plunger and finger about the axis of reciprocation of said second plunger.

2. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said first and second plungers are arranged to reciprocate in coordination with each other and with said first plunger arranged to move in a slightly leading time sequence relative to said second plunger.

3. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said second plunger comprises a pair of telescopic elements one of which is provided with a generally helically configured cam track and the other of which is constructed with a cam follower disposed in said cam track whereby relative rotation is imparted to said telescopic elements in coordination with relative axial movement thereof.

4. A machine for closing a pair of end panels foldably joined to the corresponding end edges of a pair of oppositely disposed wall panels of a tubular article carrier, said machine comprising a first plunger mounted on one side of the carrier and reoiprocable in a direction generally normal to the planes of said wall panels and engageable with one of said end panels for swinging such end panel from a position of approximately coplanar relationship with the associated wall panel to a position approximately normal thereto and so as partially to close the end of the carnier, a second plunger mounted on the opposite side of the carrier and reciprocahle in a direction generally normal to the planes of said wall panels and engageable with the other of saidend panels for swinging such end panel from a position of coplanar relationship with the associated wall panel to :a position approximately norm-a1 thereto, means for moving the carrier along a predetermined path, an endless conveyor disposed on each side of the path of movement of the carrier and movable in synchnonism therewith, a-telescopic element mounted on each of said conveyors and telescopically related with one of said plungers, and a pair of guides disposed along the paths of movementof said plungers respectively and generally parallel withand adjacent to the path of movement of the, carrier, said guides being configured to engage parts of their associated pluugers and to impart coordinated movement thereto.

. 5. A machine according to'claim 4 wherein a plurality of first and second plungers are disposed alongside said path of movement and wherein a plurality of carriers are t t 8 moved along said path, one of said first plungers being effective simultaneously to close a trailing end panel of one carrier and a leading end panel of a succeedingcarrier and separate ones of said second plungers being operable to close corresponding end panels of said one carrier and of said succeeding carrier.

References Cited 9 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,5 15,3 1 1 WILLIAlV i W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner.

N. ABRAMS, Assistant Examiner. 

